Physical Description

Males and females are similar in length at 46 to 53 cm. Their weights range from 422 to 770 g, with males being slightly lighter than females. Their wingspans are 79 to 91 cm.

Both sexes have black bills, a brown iris, gray to yellowish colored legs, and an iridescent green speculum on each wing.

Males in breeding plumage have a crested head which is iridescent green and purple in color. They also have a white neck and a white spot just above the bill. Their bodies are gray and black. Their most interesting characteristic is their uniquely shaped tertial feathers; they are falcated, or sickle-shaped, and extend over the other wing feathers. Males in eclipse appear more like the females.

Females are brown and white in color and do not have the falcated tertial feathers. They look very similar to gadwalls, though falcated teal have a small crest on their head and their speculums are green.

Reproduction

Falcated teal form strong seasonal monogamous pairs and have a very intricate courtship ritual.

Females begin with an inciting call. They then perform a display that includes pointing their bills, lifting their chins and emitting soft rrr sounds. This display is reminiscent of that of gadwalls. They also perform an introductory shake display and preen behind the wings of favored males. Lastly, males make a hoarse gak-gak call when they are displaying.

Males use displays that are widely used throughout the Anas genus. These include an exaggerated introductory shake, a neck-stretching burp call, a grunt-whistle and a head-up-tail-up display. (Johnsgard, 1978)

The breeding season for falcated teal is from May to early July. They make their nests on the ground near water, usually in tall grass or brush. Clutch sizes range from six to nine cream colored eggs. Incubation time ranges from 24 to 26 days and time to fledging is 45 to 60 days. ("Bronze-Capped Teal", 1970; Johnsgard, 1978; Soothill and Whitehead, 1978)

Females have a higher parental investment than males. They incubate the eggs for 24 to 26 days and then take care of the chicks until they are fully fledged, which is 45 to 60 days after hatching. Males tend to stay near the nesting site only for the first half of the incubation period. (Johnsgard, 1978)

Predation

Flight is the main defense that falcated teal have against predators. Females' plumage features brownish tones that serve to better camouflage themselves, their nests, and ducklings within their grassy environments.

Humans are known to hunt falcated teal, both for food and their feathers. There is no information on other possible predator species. However, it can be assumed that the predators of other Anas species also prey on falcated teal. (Johnsgard, 1978)

Ecosystem Roles

Since falcated teal eat grains and the seeds of plants, it can be assumed that they help to disperse seeds over a wide area.

Falcated teal, like many migratory birds, are host to a large number of parasites. Ectoparasites include ticks, fleas and lice. There are also a vast amount of internal parasites that use these birds as hosts. These include viruses, bacteria, fungi and protozoans. Some of the better known diseases that can be carried by falcated teal include: West Nile Virus, Avian Influenza, Avian Pox, Salmonellosis, Staphylococcosis, and E. coli. Many of these can be transferred to other vertebrates, including humans. (Hubálek, 2004)

Ecosystem Impact

disperses seeds

Economic Importance for Humans: Positive

Over the last few decades, falcated teal have been used as an ornamental species in duck collections. This sets up a market for the raising and selling of this species.

They are also often hunted in the wild and are an important source of food for some of the countries in their range. Their feathers are also harvested and used for a variety of purposes. (Johnsgard, 1978)

Conservation Status

Currently falcated teal are not threatened, but are protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) this species is of least concern. They inhabit a wide geographic range and their population numbers appear to be stable. There are efforts to regulate hunting of all waterfowl, including falcated teal, and to provide alternate employment for some local hunters that may severely decrease local duck populations. (Birdlife International, 2008)

Contributors

Glossary

Palearctic

living in the northern part of the Old World. In otherwords, Europe and Asia and northern Africa.

acoustic

uses sound to communicate

bilateral symmetry

having body symmetry such that the animal can be divided in one plane into two mirror-image halves. Animals with bilateral symmetry have dorsal and ventral sides, as well as anterior and posterior ends. Synapomorphy of the Bilateria.

causes or carries domestic animal disease

either directly causes, or indirectly transmits, a disease to a domestic animal

chemical

uses smells or other chemicals to communicate

coastal

the nearshore aquatic habitats near a coast, or shoreline.

cryptic

having markings, coloration, shapes, or other features that cause an animal to be camouflaged in its natural environment; being difficult to see or otherwise detect.

diurnal

active during the day, 2. lasting for one day.

endothermic

animals that use metabolically generated heat to regulate body temperature independently of ambient temperature. Endothermy is a synapomorphy of the Mammalia, although it may have arisen in a (now extinct) synapsid ancestor; the fossil record does not distinguish these possibilities. Convergent in birds.

female parental care

parental care is carried out by females

fertilization

union of egg and spermatozoan

folivore

an animal that mainly eats leaves.

food

A substance that provides both nutrients and energy to a living thing.

forest

forest biomes are dominated by trees, otherwise forest biomes can vary widely in amount of precipitation and seasonality.

freshwater

mainly lives in water that is not salty.

herbivore

An animal that eats mainly plants or parts of plants.

iteroparous

offspring are produced in more than one group (litters, clutches, etc.) and across multiple seasons (or other periods hospitable to reproduction). Iteroparous animals must, by definition, survive over multiple seasons (or periodic condition changes).

marsh

marshes are wetland areas often dominated by grasses and reeds.

migratory

makes seasonal movements between breeding and wintering grounds

monogamous

Having one mate at a time.

motile

having the capacity to move from one place to another.

natatorial

specialized for swimming

native range

the area in which the animal is naturally found, the region in which it is endemic.

oriental

found in the oriental region of the world. In other words, India and southeast Asia.

oviparous

reproduction in which eggs are released by the female; development of offspring occurs outside the mother's body.

pet trade

the business of buying and selling animals for people to keep in their homes as pets.

polar

the regions of the earth that surround the north and south poles, from the north pole to 60 degrees north and from the south pole to 60 degrees south.

saltwater or marine

mainly lives in oceans, seas, or other bodies of salt water.

seasonal breeding

breeding is confined to a particular season

sexual

reproduction that includes combining the genetic contribution of two individuals, a male and a female

social

associates with others of its species; forms social groups.

tactile

uses touch to communicate

temperate

that region of the Earth between 23.5 degrees North and 60 degrees North (between the Tropic of Cancer and the Arctic Circle) and between 23.5 degrees South and 60 degrees South (between the Tropic of Capricorn and the Antarctic Circle).

Disclaimer:
The Animal Diversity Web is an educational resource written largely by and for college students. ADW doesn't cover all species in the world, nor does it include all the latest scientific information about organisms we describe. Though we edit our accounts for accuracy, we cannot guarantee all information in those accounts. While ADW staff and contributors provide references to books and websites that we believe are reputable, we cannot necessarily endorse the contents of references beyond our control.

This material is based upon work supported by the
National Science Foundation
Grants DRL 0089283, DRL 0628151, DUE 0633095, DRL 0918590, and DUE 1122742. Additional support has come from the Marisla Foundation, UM College of Literature, Science, and the Arts, Museum of Zoology, and Information and Technology Services.